Chapter 157 Dad Has to Leave First

Chapter 157: Daddy Has to Leave First

Little Su Youli was the last to be interviewed. As Shen Yan settled him onto the small sofa, the boy smiled at the familiar Uncle Mo.

The little one's cheeks were soft and pale, his eyes like dark grapes, bright with long, dark eyelashes.

Sitting obediently on the stool, listening carefully to the woman's questions, he looked like a little dumpling sculpted from jade and snow.

With so many cameras in front of him and a circle of people surrounding him, the little one initially didn't want Shen Yan to leave.

Shen Yan ruffled his hair and told him he would stay right nearby.

Only then did the little one nod and begin answering the questions.

As the "rescued" subject, when the woman asked if he was scared being alone in the amusement park, the little one shook his head very seriously.

"You You wasn't scared. Uncle Mo was with You You."

After saying this, the little one looked over at Shen Minyan and Tang Dou, who were standing in the crowd, and happily kicked his little legs. "Daddy and Little Tang Brother are also with You You."

Fortunately, it wasn’t a live broadcast, so the interview could be edited later.

The staff asked a few other questions, and the little one was very cooperative, requiring no fuss.

The interview footage would be edited into special features and released as a bonus.

After the day’s filming ended, the little one was walked back to the room by his eldest brother.

As soon as the door opened, the little one rushed over and buried his face in Shen Minyan’s chest.

Shen Yan followed behind, clearly sensing that You You’s relationship with his father had grown much closer than before.

Shen Minyan had filled in on the show’s recording and brought the little one to Country D to meet his two fathers, whom he'd been missing constantly. They had lived together abroad for over half a month.

Emotional bonds develop over time. He remembered clearly how, when the little one first returned to the Shen family, You You didn’t even dare to call Shen Minyan "Daddy," let alone kiss or hug him. Now, he missed him dearly after just one day apart.

Shen Minyan sat his youngest son on his lap and spoke to him: "You You, Daddy has to return home tonight. Will you stay here with your big brother and Little Tang Brother?"

Shen Minyan had been abroad for too long. Although his assistants were highly capable and many matters could be handled online, there were still company affairs that needed his personal attention.

For over a month, Su Youli had been with Shen Minyan the whole time. Now, hearing that he was leaving, Su Youli immediately furrowed his brow.

His small hands tightly gripped Shen Minyan’s suit pocket, and his entire face buried itself in Shen Minyan’s chest.

Shen Minyan’s heart melted with warmth as he soothingly stroked the little one’s back. "You You doesn’t want Daddy to leave, right?"

The little head in his arms nodded.

Shen Minyan felt his chest grow warm and carried the little one to sit by the window.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling window, the night view was sparkling, but his gaze failed to focus.

It had been less than a year since the little one entered his life, yet he already felt such deep attachment.

The thought of being separated from the little one for a few days made his heart ache.

Holding his son, he couldn’t help but recall the three years when the child was missing and how he got through that time.

Bewildered and bitter, everyone had said that such a young child couldn’t possibly have survived and that there was no use continuing to search.

Shen Minyan couldn’t remember his reaction at the time—perhaps he had shot them a look that silenced them, or perhaps, after repeated disappointments, he had reluctantly agreed with them.

Every time news about the child came, whether true or false, he had to check it out personally.

He had forgotten whether his persistence back then was to provide Chu Ying with answers, to prevent his unseen youngest son from suffering outside, or to find a moment of peace in his heart through the endless search.

Perhaps it was all of those reasons.

In any case, during those three years, Shen Minyan hadn't been living like a real person.

His rebellious second son hadn’t called him "Dad" again, and his eldest son had grown increasingly distant and cold toward him.

Now, the warm, living child in his arms truly filled the emptiness that had once existed in his life.

Initially, he had only hoped that You You wouldn’t be afraid of him. He had never dared to hope that You You would depend on him so much and be so affectionate toward him as he was now.

"When You You finishes his adventure, Daddy will definitely be at the airport to pick you up, okay?" Shen Minyan used the gentlest tone he had ever used in his life.

The little one looked up and stretched out his soft little hand. "Pinky swear~"

Shen Minyan’s lips curved into a smile as he hooked his little finger around the short, small one.

Outside the window, night deepened, and the little one in Shen Minyan’s arms had already fallen peacefully asleep.

No matter how reluctant he was, it was time for him to leave.

Tang Dou carefully took the sleeping little one from his arms and put him to bed.

In the living room, Shen Minyan was talking to Shen Yan, going over safety rules.

After making everything clear, Shen Yan walked Shen Minyan out.

Shen Yan was already taller than Shen Minyan, though his shoulders weren’t as broad, and his face was young and handsome.

The two walked to the elevator, and Shen Minyan stepped inside, turning to face Shen Yan.

"No need to see me off. Go back and keep You You company."

Shen Yan’s steps halted. The overhead light in the elevator fell on Shen Minyan’s face.

Once hailed by the media as the "Most Handsome Tycoon" in his youth, Shen Minyan now bore the marks of time.

The lines at the corners of his eyes were particularly noticeable. The recklessness and exuberance of youth had long faded, replaced by a steady, restrained yet undeniable sharpness.

Only when facing his family did he soften, with smiles touching the corners of his eyes and brows.

Shen Yan said nothing, standing still as he waited for the elevator door to close.

Shen Minyan also remained motionless, and the father and son gazed at each other through the elevator door for a few seconds.

The man in the suit raised his hand, pressed the elevator button, and, just before the doors closed, parted his thin lips to speak.

"Yan Yan, you are outstanding."

With a "ding," the elevator doors closed, and the numbers on the wall began to descend.

Shen Yan wondered if he had misheard. Was his father... acknowledging him?

Yan Yan?

How long had it been since he last called him by his childhood nickname?

That "Yan Yan" almost instantly brought Shen Yan back to his childhood. In his memory, although his father was very busy, he would take him and his mother out every weekend.

After Linlin was born, there was one more person joining them on their outings.

The time the family spent together wasn’t much, which made it all the more precious.

From a young age, he knew his father wasn’t good at expressing himself—he was more like the traditional father figure described in textbooks.

Taciturn, yet deep as a mountain.

When he decided to study acting and enter the entertainment industry, his father got really angry, raising a hand that nearly struck his face.

He knew that his father had been raising him to be his successor.

He also saw the unmistakable disappointment hidden in his father’s eyes.

The bond between father and son grew distant, until You You came along, and he decided to move back home.

And then, at this moment, in an unfamiliar country, on an ordinary day—

The father who had always been strict with him, who had opposed his entry into the entertainment industry, actually told him he was outstanding.

His nose stung. Shen Yan shut his eyes tightly, covered his face with both hands, and a few tears silently fell into his palms.